Disclaimer I own nothing, you hear me? Nothing! sobs Nothing

La'gaan never had many friends. Not that he wasn't liked but, it's different than having a close friend. The other members of his small squad respected him but Robin never really hung out with anyone and when he did he was always standing near Nightwing. And as for Bluebeetle. He was a strange fish, a very strange fish. And as Impulse was almost always with him the combination of the two together made La'gaan nearly give up on the human race as a species.

Seriously Impulse had… Impulse problems and Blue was always talking himself out of what sounded like mass murder, thanks but no thanks, just because I don't have friends doesn't mean I'm desperate. Beastboy was nice but since him and M'gann broke up the boy had grown distant not like I can blame him for that. Thinking of the martian girl who had nearly broke him, was not on his feel good again agenda. La'gaan had always known he was the fallback guy, but he had hoped that she would at least like him a little, he really did love M'gann still did, and now every hope he had that she might see him as something more, shattered like his heart.

And all of M'gann's friends seemed to think that it had to be La'gaans fault they were breaking up and avoided him, or worse pitied him shaking their heads when they thought he wasn't looking whispering about how awful it was, and that La'gaan should have seen it coming but he was just the fallback guy as if that was the definition of his life.

Fallback boyfriend, fallback Atlantean, fallback member.

So thats why La'gaan was slumped on the couch with nothing to do but watch movie classics about teenage mermaids that wanted to join the surface world.

La'gaan was really hoping she failed, so she would never know that the surface really was worse than anything the sea could possibly put you thru. The sea just ate you whole, the surface crushed your spirit and then left you alive to watch you suffer.

La'gaan continued muttering to himself about red heads and talking fish oblivious to the fact he was no longer alone. Wolf had wandered into the room his Kryptonian master was upset and so was locked in the training room, but his grunts as he pounded away his anger didn't hurt his ears like the young atlanteans whining, that pitch grated the super mutts ears in exactly the wrong way.

It stared at La'gaan with open dislike. After all the his master never liked the strange child either, and he smelled like a dying fish, so Wolf had avoided him never doing more than brushing him off and occasionally "Pretending" that he wanted to hurt the teen…every now and again.

But it was obvious under that scowl he was wearing that fish man was hurting, and wolf didn't like that. And Wolf was technically a hero with a job to help people, he winced in annoyance at another screeching whine, Sheesh enough with the teenage melodrama teenagers shouldn't be superheroes period.

Wolf was a lot smarter than most people gave him credit for. And out of everyone in the base he was the only one who hadn't been surprised when M'gann went from Kryptonian to Atlantean only a week after her break up.

He was also the only one who new why the Atlantean had said yes willingly throwing himself into a love triangle he knew he had no hope of winning.

Loneliness, he was alone on the team the other members had some kind of common ground or easy friendship with people in and out of the team but La'gaan was just awkward with everyone.

His personality was absolutely the worst thing if you wanted friends, he was driven, honest, and harsh.

His driven nature isolated himself, and his honesty coupled with his harsh tounge and thick head, well he was a recipe for social disaster.

He needed someone to be with him like M'gann had been, a friend.

And so with great reluctance to the smell wolf padded over to the teen who was so intent on his show (Even though he had seen it 100 times already) he didn't see the wolf until his vision was blocked by the fuzzy man eater.

His tounge rolled out of his mouth and his tail thumping against him as the wolf leaped into his lap. La'gaan let out a very unmanly shriek. And without a conscience thought sent wolf flying into the television set. A normal wolf might have had it's head bashed in by this, but Wolf was in no way ordinary and just smashed the television set and the wall the once "crash" flat screen had been on.

Wolf rose from the TV's ashes and fixed La'gaan with a death glare that almost rivaled the fabled bat glare. Almost. But it was enough to make the teen squirm and fear for his life.

'The things I put up with around here.' Wolf rolled it's eyes before stalking off with an annoyed huff.

La'gaan warily watched the door, he had been absolutely positive that a certain half-kryptonian had trained that thing to hate him and it could cause some serious damage when it wanted to, after making absolutely sure that Wolf wasn't going to try and eat him, he sat back on the couch, crossing his legs so there was nothing hanging to be bitten off, just in case it came back. He stared at the shattered television set for about five solid seconds, before slamming his hands on the couch.

"Neptunes Beard! I fear nothing." The Atlantean raced after Wolf very determined to prove that he was not afraid of a mangy animal.

He wasn't entirely sure how this was going to happen, ( Seeing as Wolf scared him shitless) but he figured the details could come later.

Wolf heard him coming, right before the smell hit him. He gave an involuntary shudder, at the stench, before turning to face the door silently waiting for a teen the wolf now dubbed Idiot.

As Idiot burst thru the door his cocky grin faded instantly upon seeing that Wolf was licking it's lips and very obviously salivating on the carpet, he began to worry about the details and his future on the team. Slamming his feet into a backpedal motion in an attempt to turn around, his legs tangled together and he went face down stopping just in front of the beast.

"Neptunes beard."

Wolf gave a happy huff, the idiot looked good on the floor, but as he muttered expletives under his breath he began to remind him of his master, that was always good in Wolf's opinion. He let his tounge loll out of his mouth before giving the Idiot a lazy lick, and despite his smell he didn't taste so bad.

Definitely better than the green kid. Maybe the bad smelling idiot wasn't so bad, besides Wolf wasn't doing anything and Master wasn't around, and the Idiot was around so maybe they could play till Master got back. And as Wolf had the same jump to it / really bad decision skills of his clone master, he decided that now Idiot was a friend and they were going to play catch.

And if his new friend tried to slip away, a few seconds of growling and a death glare always got him back in the game. Wolf liked his new friend there was definitely more to him than the bad smell.

Something he couldn't quite place, hanging in the air around him. Wolf shook his head as he lost the scent, padding over to the Atlantean he dropped a ball at his feet and did his best

'dumb dog want you throw ball routine.'

Why, because he really wanted him to throw that ball already and anything else might be too complicated for him to understand.


Connor's POV

I pounded another helpless gym bag into the wall, Wondergirl immediately dropped another sand bag in front of me, quickly moving to another bag ready to throw it into position.

Don't think, don't question, just keep moving. This was supposed to be a good day, no assignments, no invasion force hellbent on galactic domination, a good day. Right up until M'gann had popped up and wanted to talk, that should have been my sign to walk away and enjoy myself. Why didn't I just walk away?

Connor slammed the last bag in the gym into the concrete, still failing to block out M'gann's pleading voice, "I'm sorry you were right," I sent another punch straight thru a piece of training equipment. Still angry, still betrayed, my vision went red, and I started tearing into everything I could get my hands on.

Cassie was frowning at the pile of carnage that was once training equipment, she hadn't been the teens friend for long but she knew him. She knew when he wanted company, when he wanted to be alone and when he needed to pound something. She also knew that this time pounding things wouldn't be enough, a trip was in order, to clear your head, take sphere and wolf, go to some deserted island and relax or pound the island flat. Either way, you wont end up tearing down the mountain... or someone in it.

She tried to smile at him but his face was twisted as he fought his inner demons he looked like he wanted an excuse to hurt anyone and anything.

You have to understand what Cassie already knew for a fact. Conner had not taken M'gann betraying him as well as everyone thought he had. And no one thought he had taking their separation well. She was his control she was his everything a constant since his first memories, and then she betrays him and moves on.

He tried to understand her, to figure out how she was not in the wrong like she insisted. But nothing ever made sense, in the end he had come to terms with it. He had let her go he let La'gaan have her. And only a week after that, she finally decides to tell him, that all this time he was right. That every time she insisted what she was doing wasn't wrong she had been lying, desperate to repair what she had destroyed. And to fix it she was going to send La'gaan thru the grinder the same way she had sent him.

Conner just grunted as Cassie tried to talk to him. He sat on a bench staring at the wall, slowly going back over his memory's with M'gann.

What he needed was space to think, Cassie's suggestion to slip away for a remote vacation was a really good idea, and he had a small island, well he knew were a small island was that no one else knew about, it was pretty much the same thing, and to go there for a few days would do anyone a world of good.

Outside the training room Sphere was waiting for him like usual giving a soft trill as he walked by, but Wolf wasn't there, the teen gave a tight frown.

Usually Wolf and Sphere stayed nearby when he was in a bad mood, not close enough to be caught in the crossfire but there if he needed them, and the clone really didn't want to go around looking for him, right now he mostly wanted to avoid everyone, particularly M'gann.

The clone was still angry with her, right when he had finally been about to move on she had to pop back up.

Thought's about M'gann and the new girl he was hoping he could date were literally giving the teen a headache.

(Although he didn't actually have any one in mind he wanted to date their had only ever been M'gann. But it wouldn't be a bad thing to date someone who was not her. But no one he met made him feel the way he did with her, he was beginning to worry that maybe he couldn't fall in love with anyone else.)

He shook the thought's out of his head and gave a low whistle, if Wolf was in the same state he would hear him. Then they could get out of here before I really do tear the mountain down.

Only a few moments later, he could hear Wolfs paws pounding down the hallway, and much to Cassie's relief gave a genuine smile. Which quickly disappeared when Wolf arrived with a much hated Atlantean in tow. Jealousy was never an emotion Connor had much experience with, even with M'gann her betrayal and attempt at mind wiping hurt more than seeing her with La'gaan ever did.

Okay so he may have been a little jealous of them together, but nothing could have prepared him for the wave of it he experienced at seeing Wolf actually happy to have that Fish man around.

Wolf was excited for no other reason than his Master wasn't angry anymore. And while he was busy breaking things Wolf had found him a prime candidate for best friendship. In other words Wolf was pleased as punch in himself, and he was sure his master would be too.

He kept running between his Master and his new friend the Idiot, Wolf was very certain they could all get along despite the smell, they had too much in common not too.

Connor scowled at the Atlantean teen before attempting to leave with his band of misfits, but Wolf had another idea.

Why not let him come with us!

So as Connor and La'gaan both spun around to leave fully intending to continue hating the other from afar, Wolf ran and leaped at the smaller teen fixing him with a glare as the dog attempted to manhandled him after the other teen.


La'gaan POV

"Get your stupid mutt off of me." La'gaan screamed.

Unfortunately for the teen it sound much more like girly shrieking than a commanding order like he had hoped it would. Also unfortunately the Boy of Steel never liked having people call Wolf stupid, normally he might have been able to brush it off, but he was already in a bad mood and he already wanted an excuse to hurt anybody.

The Atlantean was thrown into the nearest wall and before his brain could catch up with him he felt a pair of hands go around his neck. All he could see was the dark holes of the clones eyes.

They were filled with fury, but his eyes also held passion, a warmth, or maybe he was finally getting heat vision.

He felt his feet get lifted off the ground. Despite the situation La'gaan found himself annoyed that Conner was taller than him and even with the lift he still had to look up at him.

He was never really able to just stare into his eyes before, he realized that he rather liked them.

The smaller teen also recognized the feel of the Boy of steel's breath on his chest, he felt very aware of every place the other teen touched him.

Instead of fighting the Superteen off his mind started racing, trying to figure out why he really didn't mind the invasion of privacy.

"What are you doing!?" The voice was blurry almost like someone was talking under water, it sounded like Cassie.

He always got so close to Connor whenever they fought. Leaving only a few inches between their faces.

The hands around his neck tightened as Cassie tried to pull off the stronger teen, and somehow the Atlantean at this point was idly wondering if Connor kissed as passionately as he fought, he had a perfectly kissable mouth.

He watched as Cassie continued trying to pry the fingers from around his neck, and he wondered if he should help her, against Conner he had about 6 ways to get out of this situation. But maybe if he was lucky Conner would just end his current living trouble, and then he could go rot in some distant prison forever. Not a completely bad way to go out if it got rid of Conner.

His body felt hot and flushed where Connor was pressed against his chest. Maybe Kryptonians were hotter than other species, La'gaan felt his face flush as his otherwise confused mind immediately went to town with that thought. And at this point he finally seemed to realize what the hell he had been thinking about.

Connor was staring at him still wanting to kill him but confused when he just stood there with a wacky grin on his face. La'gaan realized that this hadn't been anywhere near enough for him to pass out, yet he couldn't seem to breath in his fuzzed out brain he remembered that on the satellite mission Connor had worn Superman's tights, the small pair because the regular was too tall for him that image was dancing along with black spots in his vision and his whacked out grin got bigger.

It has to be a lack of air, it's making my mind go crazy. I can't seriously be attracted to that.

He forced himself to look at every detail of his face, pushing past the black spots that began to color his vision. And no matter how he tried to cut it the Kryptonian was handsome. A trait he gained from Superman no doubt.

As if the universe wanted these wrong thoughts to end as badly as he wanted to understand them.

Wondergirl finally pried the fingers loose from his throat and he collapsed to the ground, head swimming with to many sinfully delicious thoughts to worry about standing. As Cassie immediately checked on him not even sparing Connor her I'm disappointed in you look she had mastered from Wonder Woman, the superteen left without sparring a glance, incredibly confused at La'gaan's lack of self defense while Sphere whistled angrily at the teens temper, Wolf feeling this was his fault slinked after him quietly glancing a look back at his new friend before deciding to visit him later.

La'gaan was functioning solely on auto pilot as he assured Cassie he was fine, but even after she left the teen stayed in the corner Connor had dropped him in, as if that could help him remember his face, exactly the way it had been. Pissed off and very sexy. This wasn't the first time he had been attracted to a guy, although his fascination of Kaldur usually stayed strictly in the realms of hero worship, to be with another male in Atlantis was illegal punishable by death. But he had allowed himself to entertain a few fantasies. But they usually stayed in their place, buried very VERY deep in his head, feelings contained safely.

What he had felt just know with Connor was much more… it wasn't contained.

La'gaan let his head sink onto his knees when he realized he couldn't pin it down to a light crush or a lack of air."Shit".
Although the fact that M'gann dumped him didn't seem so bad anymore.


Cassie's POV

"What the hell were you thinking!?" Cassie almost screeched in Conners ear.

"Did you want to kill him! Please don't say yes."

"..."

"You could get suspended off the team moron, you could have seriously hurt him."

"... He could have fought me off... not like he hasn't done it before." It was a lame way to avoid blame and even he knew it.

"Not the point, do you think Sup..." Connor winced clearly showing he knew what she had stopped herself from saying.

She gave a low sigh, doing a quick relaxation technique that Wonder Woman had taught her. Before she tried again,

"Hero's don't strangle people Connor, you need to apologize, make amends don't break arms."

"Do you think La'gaan is sick?"

"Don't change the subject, we need to talk about the fact that you strangled a team member... Again."

He frowned, "The first time doesn't count."

"Actually it does... don't even get me started on how much it counts Conner."

She watched as he began mentally tuning her out preparing for her to start ranting. Word to the wise nothing will make a woman of any age more upset than ignoring her while you pretend to listen, if your in the habit of doing that don't get caught.

Cassie stopped moving down the corridor, her face frozen. "Hey Cassie you okay?"

She stared at him for a few seconds before she said anything, just to make sure that she had his attention.

"You need to apologize, before you go, in fact go find him, right now."

"... Okay." He gave a deep sigh and turned around heading back up the hallway.

Despite the short amount of time that they had spent together she really did know him, she knew for instance that he wouldn't apologize.

She sat in front of Sphere waiting for him to try and sneak back, she only had to wait about ten minutes before he was sneaking back into the room.

"Apologize to him right now or I will tie you up and hang you from the monitor."

Conner kicked the door as he left with a scowl looking every bit the moody teenager he wasn't, muttering things under his breath.

Despite the fact that she was now certain that he would go and find La'gaan she wasn't sure if he would be apologetic, or if he would go for round two.

So she decided to spy on him, using all the training Barbara had given her about stealth to stay out of his sight. It became clear after a while that he was avoiding all the places where he could actually expect to find the Atlantean, and instead was wandering in circles thru out the base. Every few rounds he would linger by the hanger bay before he would force himself back into a wandering pattern.

Until eventually she followed him back to where he had tried to strangle La'gaan. He walked and sat down against the wall, letting out a tired sigh.

"What's wrong with you chum?"

Cassie gave a start nearly revealing her hiding place when La'gaan's voice seemingly came out of nowhere. But after a few seconds she noticed his arms wrapped around his legs in a ball wedged in the darkest corner of the room.

She watched as Conner took a deep breath.

"I came to apologize for what I did." He sounded clipped as if he wanted to get it over with. She wasn't the only one to notice, as the Atlantean gave a dry laugh.

"I'm not going to tell anyone what you did, no need to worry about it."

"I'm not apologizing to try and avoid a punishment, I apologize when I do something wrong to someone who doesn't deserve it."

Cassie gave a breath of relief from her hiding place near the door, that sounded much better.

"So I'm sorry."

The Atlantean regarded him from the shadows his red eyes burning in the dark,

"I.. I believe you. Thank you."

Conner gave a shrug, "It's no big deal I've just been in a bad mood lately and took it out on you."

The Atlantean snorted, "You in a bad mood. Why? You have everything."

The Atlantean shrugged off Conners attempt at talking as he continued.

"You got the girl, saved the world, and have the dad of every kids dreams, your a handsome guy with an unlimited future potential. Who's been invited to join the Justice League twice already, and then you just turn them down. What is there for you to be upset about? Is your life too perfect? Because I will gladly trade." The Atlantean's voice had grown bitter as he talked his eyes locking on to something only he could see.

Cassie held her breath, this was like a tv drama but better.

"When I first got here, Superman didn't want anything to do with me, they had me take tests after every mission to guarantee that my mind wasn't melting because something had gone wrong with my cloning process, M'gann was nice to me from the beginning and we started dating then she... Did things I didn't agree with. So I ended it and she started dating you within a week."

Unlike the Atlantean his voice was dead of any emotion as he talked, his eyes staring blankly ahead, as he continued.

"Spending time with Superman is still awkward, M'gann hasn't changed from the person she was, and I don't get older so I have to move every few years so noone catches on. And I have... a lot of reasons to be upset."

The Atlantean stared at him for a few seconds before he reached out and put a hand over Conner's knee.

"I'm sorry."

Cassie watched them for a while longer as they began talking about pointless things, dumb guy stuff, before the guilt of spying forced her to slip away.

She had always prided herself on her ability to understand and empathize with others, understanding emotions came naturally to her, but what she thought she saw just then she couldn't have just seen.

And I don't mean the talking she had seen, but the emotions that ran underneath it all, they were telling her something she never would have guessed.

Something about the way La'gaan had looked at him.

But the fact remained that she had seen it she was absolutely certain of it.

As soon as she turned the corner Cassie whipped out her cellphone. Barbara was going to love this.


A/N

So I've decided to rewrite every Chapter before I post a new one, I actually read what I had been posting and realized that a lot of the character development was only happening in my head. (That's what I get for only writing this at 2 in the morning) so the rewrite will only occur when I am awake during the day, so it may take a while. But thanks for reading this far, even this little useless AN part, I bet you can't stop reading this can you, hah colossal waste of your time stop now or forever losetime that cannot be returned lest it slip thru your fingers now and forever, duh duh duh. And lightning strike. Fade and cut.

Sayonara. R.R. And may the odds be ever in your favor.